Mining union fights cars decision without rollover protection

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has lodged an application to appeal against a decision to allow vehicles it says are unsafe back onto a Queensland mine site.

In March, the CFMEU ordered vehicles without rollover protection be removed from service but Queensland's Mines Inspectorate overturned that directive.

Under BHP's new light vehicle policy, cars are not required to have the rollover protection.

CFMEU spokesman Greg Dalliston says if the appeal is allowed, he wants to see evidence safety is not being compromised.

"Whether it's by an engineering study, whether it's by some crush test, or whether it's by some other means - but some proper information be provided to show they're equal to or better than what people were working with before," he said.

"That's all I've been after the whole time and that's all the coal mine workers have requested as well."

Mr Dalliston says the application to appeal against that decision has been lodged with Queensland's Industrial Relations Court.

"I don't believe the directive was actually addressed in the review - that the issues I raised in the directive were actually reviewed," he said

"I don't believe I've seen enough information to show that the vehicles being used on that site are at an acceptable level of risk.

"I don't believe they've shown in the information to say the standard of the protective structure of the vehicles they're using now are equal to or better than the vehicles they had prior to that time."